History Anime / TheCatReturns

[[quoteright:257:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Cat_Returns.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:257:[[FisherKingdom Don't get too comfy, Haru.]]]]

* ArtEvolution: The Baron noticably has a slightly different design then he did in ''Whisper Of The Heart'', the most noticable differences being that he has more cat like eyes than he did in ''Whisper of the Heart'' (who had human looking eyes) and lighter fur around his face as opposed to it all being one color ala ''Whisper of the Heart'', the slightly darker patch of fur patch on the top of his muzzle is also absent. This can be justified in universe by the author changing and refining the design over time.

* CultureClash: The cats try to woo Haru with things that, understandably, do not appeal to humans, such as [[SarcasmMode tasty]] mice and catnip and a garden of cattails (to which Haru is allergic).

* DeadlyDecadentCourt: PlayedForLaughs.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar:
** In the English dub, Muta tells Toto to go and "fry" himself. Of course, he says this right after calling him a "chicken." ([[DontExplainTheJoke Get it? Fried chicken?]])
** A [[KnifeThrowingAct knife-thrower]] accidentally removes the top of his assistant, causing her to cover up her ([[AnimalsLackAttributes non-revealing]]) chest and run out of the room in shame.

* TeleportersAndTransporters: The cats use portals during the abduction of Haru to shake von Gikkingen, Muta, and Toto, and to travel to the Cat Kingdom.

* SharedUnusualTrait: The king and Lune have MismatchedEyes.

* LostAesop: [[StockAesops Believe in your abilities?]] [[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop No good deed goes unpunished?]] [[FantasticAesop Don't marry talking cats?]] It's all rather vague.

* BigEater: Muta, who clears a whole plate of cakes in seconds. UpToEleven when, [[spoiler:under the name "Renaldo Moon", devoured all the fishes in a lake in the Cat Kingdom, which made him so infamous that he is mentioned in their historical frescos]].

* CleverCrows: Portrayed [[DarkIsNotEvil positively]], for a change. In the manga Toto is specifically stated to be a [[ThievingMagpie magpie]], but he loses his white markings for the film.
** Toto summons a ''gigantic'' flock of ravens for Haru to walk down after she returns back to her world.

* EvilChancellor: Subverted. It's more than evident that Natori is the real power behind the Cat Kingdom's throne. He may look a bit shady and untrusty at a first glance, but actually he is...
** TheGoodChancellor: Natori is a great person entirely devoted to the Cat Kingdom's well being and is extremely loyal to the Cat King, despite his Lord's wacky hijinks and temper tantrums. [[spoiler:When the defeated Cat King gives up his throne on favor of his son, Natori shows his loyalty by immediately giving up his own seat of power as well.]]

* LennonSpecs: The king's adviser, Natori, wears one with green lenses.

* MeaningfulName: We have a beautiful white cat named "Yuki" whose name can be Japanese for "snow".

* PragmaticVillainy: [[spoiler:Natori tries to convince the King not to blow up the tower because it will ruin his approval rating.]]

* StateSec: Lune has his own personal guard, loyal only to him.

* BadassAdorable: Haru. It takes guts to run into traffic with a lacrosse stick to rescue a cat from becoming roadkill, ''and'' succeed. Later on, she stands up to the Cat King when he tries to propose to her, after nearly forcing her to marry his son.

* ButtMonkey: The beginning shows Haru having bad things happen to her, including getting to school late, being humiliated in front of her classmastes, and generally being clumsy. [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished And then she rescues a cat]] [[FromBadToWorse and everything goes to hell.]]
* TheCaligula: The Cat King, who's quite insane. He throws people out of windows for liking acts that ''he'' doesn't like, among various other despotic acts [[spoiler:(it turns out, that the cat chucked out of the window survived the fall and ends up sulking at the wall)]].

* CheshireCatGrin / SlasherSmile: The Cat King sports one or the other very often, most notable being when he goes to see Haru after she first arrives (A) and when he [[spoiler:blew up the tower]] (B).

* CoolOldGuy: The Cat King. Well, at least he tried to be one..."[[CatchPhrase babe.]]"

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: For as much of a jerk the Cat King is to everyone else, he loves his son and respects his wishes to marry Yuki rather than [[ArrangedMarriage Haru]].
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Nobody addresses the Baron as Humbert.

* ExtremeDoormat: A lot of Haru's trouble with the cats comes from her inability to tell them firmly but politely "no." [[spoiler:She grows out of this later in the film.]]

* FishEyes: One of the Cat King's eyes sometimes fall under this.

* GlowingEyesOfDoom: Baron in the Manga. If you value your kingdom or your hide, don't piss him off!

* ImportantHaircut: Haru, at the end.

* KindHeartedCatLover: Haru.

* LargeHam: The Cat King, voiced by '''[[Creator/TimCurry TIM CURRY]]''' in the dub.

* LivingToys: The Baron is a living doll, a state owed to [[LoveImbuesLife him being a special project by his creator]].

* LuminescentBlush: Haru, when the Baron carries her to the portal and looks at her face.

* MasterSwordsman: Baron not only takes out about five guards with ''just his cane'', but later breaks the Cat King's jewel crown and shaves the lower half of his body in ''one move''.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Prince Lune is clearly of a sounder mind than his father is, and steps in to take action when his father takes things just a tad too far.

* RedEyesTakeWarning: Baron, in the original manga.

* SpellMyNameWithAThe: Fans of this movie (or if his name is going to be used in a sentence) would often times call Baron, "The Baron". Nobody really called him by his first name, "Humbert". InUniverse, he's not mentioned by first name explicitly except when he introduces himself. However, Baron himself didn't insist anybody to spell his name with the "the" and is okay to be simply called "Baron".

* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: {{Inverted|Trope}}, as Haru's life got ''worse'' when the Cat Kingdom made her princess. She reaches her DarkestHour once she tries on the [[PimpedOutDress ballroom gown]].

* CursedWithAwesome: A meta example with Haru's transformation into a CatGirl. She's upset by this and spends the second half of the film trying to reverse the transformation, whereas many UsefulNotes/{{furr|yFandom}}ies would embrace it.

An average day for OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent Haru turns weird when she rescues a cat carrying a parcel from being run over by a truck... only for the cat to get up on his hind legs, bow to her, and ''thank her''. Things get weirder when the Cat King and a cotillion of courtiers shows up in the middle of the night to thank Haru for saving the life of the King's only son, Prince Lune, and to offer her gifts to repay the debt. Unfortunately, their ideas of "gifts" (planting cattails in her backyard and filling her locker at school with ''live mice in boxes'') cause Haru nothing but trouble... and then she learns they want her to marry Prince Lune!

* LivingToys: The Baron is a living doll, a state owed to [[LoveImbuesLifehim being a special project by his creator]].

Fortunately, it seems a few of the cats really are on Haru's side: she receives an offer of help from the "Cat Bureau," a trio of do-gooders consisting of a portly feline named Muta, a living crow statue named Toto, and a handsome cat figurine called the Baron. Just in time, as well, because Haru soon finds herself whisked off to the Cat Kingdom by a veritable army of felines! Even with the help of Muta and Baron, it'll take all the courage and wit that Haru can muster if she plans to get out of this mess.

* LivingStatue: The Baron and Toto the raven, both Creations given souls by their creators.

* LoveImbuesLife: The Baron's explanation for how statues like himself and Toto come to life.

* LighterAndSofter: The film compared to the manga. [[TropesAreNotBad Not that this is a bad thing.]]

* ShesAManInJapan: Natoru is female in the Japanese version, but male in the English dub.

* CheshireCatGrin / SlasherSmile: The Cat King sports one or the other very often, most notable being when he goes to see Haru after she first arrives(A) and when he [[spoiler:blew up the tower]](B).